2010-03-10 17:49:23
WAM DUBAI, March 10th, 2010: H.H. Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak, President of UAE Women's Association (FDF) and Chairwoman of the General Women Union (GWU) will be presented with the Cultural and Scientific Achievement Award of Sultan Bin Ali Al Owais Cultural Foundation in a ceremony on Thursday at the Foundation's office in Dubai.

A documentary on Sheikha Fatima's achievements will show during the ceremony. Also free copies of a book titled "Umm Al-Emarat", on Sheikha Fatima, will be given out to the audience of the ceremony.

Other Arab prominent winners of the 11th edition of the Al-Owais award include Abdul Aziz Al-Makaleh (poetry) Al-Taher Watar (short story, novel, theater), Abdul Salam Al-Masdi (literary studies), Dr Jalal Amin (humane and futurist studies). Winners of previous editions include the late Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish, Islamic scholar Youssef Al-Karadhawi,, Syrian poet Adonis, the late Syrian poet Nizar Qabbani.

The Board of Trustees of the Foundation has granted, late last year, the award to Sheikh Fatima in recognition of her leading cultural and development role in promoting the status of women and supporting their presence in the community, locally, regionally and internationally.

The total value of the award is US$ 600000; winners receive US$120000 each.

Secretary-General of the Foundation Abdul Hamid Ahmed said that the Board of Trustees has reached this decision after several meetings, during which it studied the list of candidates (148 candidates), and after extensive deliberation, it has unanimously decided that the winner of this session is Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak.

He added that the Board of Trustees highly appreciates the cultural and humanitarian roles that Her Highness Sheikha Fatima has done and is still doing, and proudly values her efforts in supporting women in the United Arab Emirates in the fields of education, economy and society, and her local and Arab achievements in these areas, achievements that are referred to and Internationally praised, and her role in enabling women to take their responsibilities in community involvement, and the promotion of their lead roles, has had a significant impact in supporting the development plans in the UAE, in addition to her substantial role in establishing the rights of women and children through the Law of Personal Status, which is a contribution to the development of society and its stability.

Ahmad said that the Board of Trustees highly appreciates all the roles and cultural achievements of Her Highness Sheikha Fatima, which makes her proudly deserve the award of this session, for all in depth and human efforts Her Highness has done and is still doing in the fields of cultural and civilization.

H.H. Sheikha Fatima has been known for her leadership and dedicated commitment to the cause of promoting the welfare and well-being of women in the United Arab Emirates. Sheikha Fatima founded the Abu Dhabi Women's society in 1973, which was the first women's society in the Emirates. In 1975, she founded the UAE Women's Federation, which was formed to create an opportunity for women to realize their full potential through education and work related training.

Sheikha Fatima has been an active advocate on issues related to women's equality and women's rights. She has been campaigning to significantly increase the employment of women in Government sectors and to ensure suitable conditions at the workplace for working mothers. Her efforts in putting women on the path to gaining access and participation in the political and economic institutions, has also been commendable.

Sheikha Fatima's leadership and unwavering commitment to the cause of women's empowerment, gender equality and the welfare of the community at large has been truly outstanding. She successfully used the Women's Federation as a medium to advance the status of women in society and help them to achieve their full potential. She consolidated the women's movement and gave it a sense of direction at the national level and later led the Women's Federation towards taking regional and global perspectives into account.

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WAM/MMYS